Is this your Camelot ... in Makiki?

By E. Clarke Reilly

Published: 2012.11.05 01:11 PM

For centuries, scholars have argued over where King Arthur’s Camelot may be located, and if it actually exists. Well, they can continue their debate while I tell you about one very real Camelot, right in Makiki.

The Camelot condominium may not hold the romance of one in an Arthurian world (after all, most of its units are leasehold), however, it does have the charm of being in a tight-knit community where neighbors keep an eye on what’s happening.

“Lifestyle, location and the convenience of living in a place like that are what residents love about it,” says realtor Renee Hampton of Kahala Associates. “It’s a well-managed building on a nice street with old-fashioned curbs.”

This one-bedroom corner unit, on the 12th floor, was tastefully redone in 2010. The owner, who invested $50,000 in the renovation, installed granite countertops throughout, new cabinetry, carpeting, tile flooring and appliances, including a Bosch washer and dryer.

“She didn’t do it for the resale,” says Hampton. “It was done with the intention of staying there.” However, for personal reasons, the owner is upsizing.

During the renovation, the kitchen wall was removed to create an open space bridging the area into the living room. Making great use of space, there’s now a bar top with two chairs on one side, storage above and below the countertop on the kitchen side, along with a hanging fixture overhead for stemware.

One of the notable details in the bathroom is a walk-in shower with an attractive river rock floor.

From the lanai, which has remote control shutters, you can enjoy views of the city and sunset.

The building’s amenities include a pool, whirlpool, barbecue and exercise room. The swimming pool and lobby areas were redone last year.

The address scores an 80 on Walkscore.com making it “very walkable” to restaurants, grocery stores and coffee shops. However, if you need to drive to do errands, the price includes one covered parking stall.

As I mentioned above, many of Camelot’s units are leasehold, and this is one of them. It’s obviously something to consider when purchasing a home. But the lease doesn’t expire until 2036, so perhaps for a retiree who’s looking for a turn-key condo, this might be Camelot.

You can take a look on Wednesday at a broker’s open house (open to the public) from 9 to 11 a.m. Click here for details.

About Our Writers

Honolulu Real Estate focuses on the Hawai‘i housing market, condos and homes for sale, Hawai‘i rentals and general news about real estate in Hawai‘i. It also includes stories on apartment living, home decor and profiles.

Melissa Chang graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a degree in journalism. She has been blogging about food and travel since 2007. She works primarily in social media, so you can find her online @Melissa808 on Twitter and Instagram.

Jaymes Song is a real estate agent at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in Kāhala. Jaymes is in the top 2 percent of Better Homes agents nationwide. He was voted “Best in Real Estate 2014” by HONOLULU Magazine readers. Previously, Jaymes was at The Orange County Register, Honolulu Star-Bulletin and rose through the ranks to overseeing news and operations for AP in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Rim. Jaymes lives in the Portlock area and loves his real full-time job as a dad to two curious kids.